Snowskaters Take Over Boreal

Pat "The Goblin" Quinn isn't afraid to take charge on his Ralston Snowskate. PHOTO: Chris Wellhausen

Photos by Chris Wellhausen

Words by The Goblin

Some time ago in history, a human of Polynesian descent stood on a beach looking at the waves. Maybe it was a group of dolphins in the surf, perhaps a random piece of wood washing in. Something gave this person the crazy notion that they could capture this natural, seemingly endless motion, and make it their own.For no apparent reason except that they could.

Possibly about the same time there was a human of northern European descent standing on the frozen arctic tundra.Maybe it was penguin on its back, the wind blowing a chunk of ice. Maybe something weirder. Either way this person got the idea that they could slide across this frozen surface much easier than walking and it was fun.

Now this may be going way too far back to reasonably explain what snowskating is, where it comes from, or where it may be going.Back a little bit past surfing on fiberglass or downhill skiing with metal edges. Past big pants, skinny pants or a grass skirt instead of pants.Way down the branches of the “extreme” family tree is snowskating.A perfect hybrid, a red-headed step-child that will go the way of the mono-ski.Who knows?But like a pod of dolphins riding a piece of wood down a mountain in Norway, snowskating has arrived.

On January 16 is known amoungst the snowskate community as National Snowskate Day. Ralston Snowskates assembled a crew, including snowboard legends Mike Basich and Monty Roach, to Boreal and rode the greatest snowskates available at this time.Both Mike and Monty left indelible marks on the world of shredding in their own right. So there is no question of their ability level.This was Mike’s first day on a snowskate in several years and Monty maybe has five days under his belt in the last two seasons.Have a look the photos,theseguys aren’t just trying to live to see the bottom of the hill, they are shredding it. So what is snowskating? FUN.Who is a snowskater?Anyone who wants it.